Michaela Valles
Bio
I like iced coffee and writing. Guess I joined the right group :)
Stories (3/0)
One Mans Junk Is Another Mans Treasure
It is true what they say 'One mans junk is another mans treasure.' I have treasures that are near and dear to my heart; and memory of thrifting for me starts young. Saturday mornings would roll around and I would hear the honk outside signaling that my grandparents were ready to take me garage saling. My Popo (grandpa) would hand me $5.00 and the excitment would set in. The idea of paying for something full price was unthinkable even at the ripe young age of 9. Pulling up to a garage sale, my heart would race. I would already be scoping out the long white tables of grage sale goods. If my grandma saw something she liked but couldn't get out of the car fast enough I would run to her rescue and grab it. As time went on the thrill of finding items that I could buy for $1.00 vs retail price grew. I was on the hunt for treasure. It was partially also because I used to watch this show on TV that showed people taking in random pieces of plates or knick knacks and the value of the item was quadruple what the guy actually paid for at a thrift store.I remember as a kid finding unopened bath and body works perfumes for $.50 a piece. Growing up in a small town, that was a big deal! I would smell expensive, but little did people know I found it at a garage sale. Growin up second has was frowned upon. So even though I found such wonderful items to call my own, I would never brag about it to my friends. Name brand mattered, and so did apperance and the look of 'new.' As I grew older and realized the value of dollar earned and gained confidence I was able to overcome the opinion of others in that area of my life. Instead of shying away from being second hand , I was proud of it. In my early 20's I found a basket full of unopened Ulta Beauty products. There were eyeshadows, lip glosses, and blushes. When I asked the lady at check out how much, because they weren't marked she said $00.10 a piece. I was able to complete a beauty look that most would spend $75.00 for only $1.10! You better believe I posted that one on facebook. Last year I was able to score a pearl necklace originally priced $40.00 for $2.00! I never wore it but just knowing I had it made it worth it. Church sales are my favorite. It's usually packed with good stuff that people generously give. The best thing I have found there was a Dave's Ramsey DVD set for Financial Peace University. I looked it up online and the value of those DVD's were worth $129.99. I purchsed this wonderful life chaning set for $1.00. My smile was ear to ear beaming with excitment; Dave would have been so proud. I am also very happy with my finds like $1.00 capris with a Kohls tag of $27.00. Or, the basketball shorts I bought for $1.50 and when I got home realized someone left $3.00 cash in the pocket. Now, thrifting is also about bargaining. I remember one sale in particular, this guy wanted $10.00 for a coca cola crate. My mom really wanted the crate but didn't feel like it was worth his asking price. I don't know honestly what came over me, but I walked up to the guy and said 'We have $5.00 for that crate , take it or leave it.' He took it! My mom was shocked, and my sister actually told me I was cool. Imgaine my ego. haha. After that I decided people are trying to get rid of stuff, and if they REALLY want it gone; they will bargain. So going forward I have learned the hustle of a good bargain. I never ask 'is this negotiable' I always ask 'will you take ________ 'fill in the blank with the amount of money you are willing to pay. I gurantee 85% of the time, they will accept. If you were to walk into my room right now, I could point out maybe a handful of items that are new. People always ask me 'Aren't you afraid of bed bugs.' My answer 'No.' Here's a tip, always wash what you buy. If you don't have a washer at least let it sit in the sun and bake. This way the germs are dying, well in my opinion. Don't let anyone tell you that you aren't good enough because of where you get your clothes. Hey, someone at one point had to pay full price; and just smile that it wasn't you.
By Michaela Valles3 years ago in Lifehack
Clean Up In Spring
Spring time is my favorite, not just because my birthday falls on the first day of spring, but because the weather is warmer, the days are lighter, and spring cleaning is a thing. I can categorize my spring cleaning in this order my bedroom, my spiritual life, my phone, and my finances. Bedroom first, I usually grab EVERTHING out of my closet and dump in in the middle of the room. Yes, I always regret this half way through, but no turning back at that point. Next, I divide winter clothes vs spring /summer clothes. I take all my winter clothes and throw them in a black garbage back for storage. No need to fold, because honestly who has time for that. After sorting all the clothes I’ll hang the spring/summer clothes. All my winter boots I will shove in the corner of my closet. I then purge my earrings. I usually wear most the same pairs yearly, but there are a few bulky ones I will only wear in the winter time. I store these in a zip lock baggie and hid them away in the 4 drawer bin I have in my room. Whatever I have outgrown or know for a fact I won’t use anymore. I will usually post on the local Facebook group called Acts of Kindness. The last thing I do is make it a habit every morning to make my bed. I have found coming home to a neat bed makes me happier, and a friend of mine who studied psychology said that this has been found to boost the brain wave of being happy. Next my spiritual health. This one is a yearly process but also seasonal. Cleaning doesn’t always have to be material. I have also found that this time of year my thoughts will spiral! I’m not even joking, it is a seasonal wave of out of control thinking. Now, I believe in God and what the Bible says “finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, and whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 NIV; around this time of year I re-evaluate my thought life. Where it’s coming from. Why am my thinking about this? What sprung it on? After spending time with God and reading the Bible I usually find the root cause and am able to work through it. I highly recommend readying the book Get out Of Your Head by Jeanie Allen. Then my IPhone. By now the notification that my storage is full has been screaming at me for months. Something about the winter time, I accumulate a lot of extra apps and photos. I like to go through my camera roll and delete the photos I know I won’t miss, mainly all screenshots. Then I’ll re-arrange the app store on my IPhone. I have found it easiest to create folders for similar apps. For example I have a folder for ‘food’. All the fast food apps I use are in this folder. Not only does this look cleaner, it is easier to find what I need faster. Lastly my finances. I drive for Uber Eats only in the spring and summer time. As a female I find it safer to drive when it most light outside. Since the sun sets later in the spring/summer I can deliver later and in return receive more tips. This helps tremendously with bills and being able to save money. I highly recommend if you are able, sign up for Uber Eats. The rates are fair, and I can always cash out same day.
By Michaela Valles3 years ago in Motivation
Unexpected Kindness
Unexpected Kindness Inhale. Exhale. June Marie took in the fresh fall air sitting on her front porch. Something seemed different about today. Sipping her coffee and watching the sun rise brought a sense of contentment. The scenery filled her heart with memories and her eyes with tears as she remembered her late grandma Pearl and her sweet soft voice, ‘June Marie, life is a gift. Don’t take one day for granted. We are not promised tomorrow.’ With her grandma’s voice of wisdom and the sudden urge to venture June decided to brave the day and try something new.
By Michaela Valles3 years ago in Families